Cherokee County, Texas

From Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Infobox U.S. county

Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,412.[1][2] The county seat is Rusk, which lies 130 miles southeast of Dallas and 160 miles north of Houston.[3] The county was named for the Cherokee, who lived in the area before being expelled in 1839. Cherokee County comprises the Jacksonville micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Tyler–Jacksonville combined statistical area.

History

[edit | edit source]

Native Americans

[edit | edit source]
File:Caddo Mound TX.jpg
Caddo Mounds at the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Cherokee County

The Hasinai group of the Caddo tribe built a village in the area in around AD 800[4][5] and continued to live in the area until the 1830s, when they migrated to the Brazos River. The federal government moved them to the Brazos Indian Reservation in 1855 and later to Oklahoma.

The Cherokee, Delaware, Shawnee, and Kickapoo Native American peoples began settling in the area around 1820. The Texas Cherokee tried unsuccessfully to gain a grant to their own land from the Mexican government.

Sam Houston, adopted son of Chief Oolooteka (John Jolly) of the Cherokee, negotiated the January 14, 1836, treaty between Chief Bowl[6] of the Cherokee and the Republic of Texas.[7][8] On December 16, 1837, the Texas Senate declared the treaty null and void,[9] and encroachment upon Cherokee lands continued. On October 5, 1838, Indians massacred members of the Isaac Killough family[10][11] at their farm northwest of the site of present Jacksonville, leading to the Cherokee War of 1839 and the expulsion of some to Oklahoma. Some went to Monclova in Mexico, and some to Rusk and Gregg counties (many had relatives among the Choctaw/Chickasaw/Creek community there). Later, in 1844, President Polk issued an executive order known as "The Right to return", allowing many Cherokee to return to Texas. Some came to what is now Cherokee County.

Early exploration and settlers

[edit | edit source]

Domingo Terán de los Ríos[12] and Father Damián Massanet[13] explored the area on behalf of Spain in 1691. Louis Juchereau de St. Denis[14] began trading with the Hasinais in 1705. Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los Tejas[15] was originally established in 1690, but was re-established in 1716 by Captain Domingo Ramon. It was abandoned again because of French incursions and re-established in 1721 by the Marques de San Miguel de Aguyao.

In 1826, empresario David G. Burnet received a grant from the Coahuila y Tejas legislature to settle 300 families.[16] The settlers were mostly from the Southern states, and brought the lifestyle of that region with them. By contracting how many families each grantee could settle, the government sought to have some control over colonization.

County established and growth

[edit | edit source]
File:Cherokee County Veterans Monument, Jacksonville, TX IMG 3005.JPG
Cherokee Veterans Monument in Jacksonville, Texas

Cherokee County was formed from land given by Nacogdoches County in 1846.[17] It was organized in the same year. The town of Rusk became the county seat. Cherokee County voted in favor of secession from the Union, during the build-up to the American Civil War.

In 1872, the International – Great Northern Railroad[18] caused Jacksonville[19] to relocate two miles east, to be near the tracks. The Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railway[20] was built north-to-south through the county between 1882 and 1885. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad[21] in 1905, and the Texas State Railroad[22] in 1910, each gave rise to new county towns along their tracks.

Geography

[edit | edit source]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,062 square miles (2,750 km2), of which 9.3 square miles (24 km2) (0.9%) are covered by water.[23]

Major highways

[edit | edit source]

Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

National protected area

[edit | edit source]

Communities

[edit | edit source]

Cities

[edit | edit source]

Towns

[edit | edit source]

Census-designated place

[edit | edit source]

Unincorporated communities

[edit | edit source]

Ghost towns

[edit | edit source]

Demographics

[edit | edit source]

Template:US Census population

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit | edit source]
Cherokee County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[24] Pop 1990[25] Pop 2000[26] Pop 2010[27] Pop 2020[28] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 29,583 31,201 32,347 31,892 30,095 77.59% 76.01% 69.33% 62.72% 59.70%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6,979 6,858 7,409 7,401 6,359 18.30% 16.71% 15.88% 14.56% 12.61%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 65 97 143 125 128 0.17% 0.24% 0.31% 0.25% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 131 180 177 221 263 0.34% 0.44% 0.38% 0.43% 0.52%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [29] x [30] 8 6 18 x x 0.02% 0.01% 0.04%
Other race alone (NH) 75 16 17 36 123 0.20% 0.04% 0.04% 0.07% 0.24%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [31] x [32] 380 665 1,629 x x 0.81% 1.31% 3.23%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,294 2,697 6,178 10,499 11,797 3.39% 6.57% 13.24% 20.65% 23.40%
Total 38,127 41,049 46,659 50,845 50,412 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

[edit | edit source]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 50,412. The median age was 39.5 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.4 males age 18 and over.[33]

The racial makeup of the county was 63.7% White, 12.7% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.3% from some other race, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 23.4% of the population.[34]

27.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 72.5% lived in rural areas.[35]

There were 17,992 households in the county, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.2% were married-couple households, 16.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[33]

There were 20,838 housing units, of which 13.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.7% were owner-occupied and 27.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.4%.[33]

The increase among its Hispanic and Asian American populations represented the nationwide demographic shift since the 2020 census.[36]

2020 American Community Survey

[edit | edit source]

According to the 2020 American Community Survey, there were 18,540 households with an average household size of 2.65 and average family size of 3.07.[37]

The 2020 American Community Survey's estimates determined there was a median household income of $50,199 with a per capita income of $66,658.[38]

2000 census

[edit | edit source]

At the 2000 census there were 46,659 people, 16,651 households, and 12,105 families residing in the county.[39] The population density was 44 people per square mile (17 people/km2). The 19,173 housing units averaged 18 units per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 74.34% White, 15.96% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. About 13.24% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 16,651 households in 2000, 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 12.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were not families. Around 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.11.

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $29,313, and for a family was $34,750. Males had a median income of $26,410 versus $19,788 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,980. About 13.70% of families and 17.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 15.10% of those age 65 or over.

Media

[edit | edit source]

Cherokee County is part of the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville DMA. Local media outlets are: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.

Newspapers in the county include the Jacksonville Progress, which publishes three editions a week in Jacksonville, and the weekly Cherokeean Herald in Rusk.

Education

[edit | edit source]

School districts within Cherokee County Texas include the following:

Areas in Bullard, Jacksonville, New Summerfield, Rusk, and Troup are assigned to Tyler Junior College. Areas of Cherokee County in Alto ISD and Wells ISD are assigned to Angelina College. Areas in Carlisle ISD are assigned to Kilgore College.[40] Legislation does not specify a community college for the remainder of the county.

Politics

[edit | edit source]
United States presidential election results for Cherokee County, Texas[41]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 145 7.67% 1,684 89.10% 61 3.23%
1916 241 9.67% 2,002 80.34% 249 9.99%
1920 478 13.38% 2,233 62.51% 861 24.10%
1924 666 13.06% 4,343 85.17% 90 1.77%
1928 1,933 49.94% 1,938 50.06% 0 0.00%
1932 233 5.33% 4,125 94.44% 10 0.23%
1936 302 7.16% 3,908 92.65% 8 0.19%
1940 801 13.12% 5,293 86.71% 10 0.16%
1944 598 11.62% 3,918 76.14% 630 12.24%
1948 1,154 24.01% 3,079 64.07% 573 11.92%
1952 3,825 49.63% 3,868 50.19% 14 0.18%
1956 4,022 57.78% 2,912 41.83% 27 0.39%
1960 3,233 41.02% 4,544 57.65% 105 1.33%
1964 3,043 35.64% 5,485 64.25% 9 0.11%
"text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/American Independent |1968 2,575 26.80% 3,242 33.74% 3,791 39.46%
1972 5,743 69.29% 2,467 29.77% 78 0.94%
1976 3,921 37.47% 6,509 62.20% 35 0.33%
1980 5,629 49.01% 5,726 49.85% 131 1.14%
1984 8,187 64.41% 4,494 35.36% 30 0.24%
1988 7,520 57.12% 5,604 42.57% 41 0.31%
1992 5,847 41.36% 5,003 35.39% 3,288 23.26%
1996 6,483 51.07% 5,185 40.85% 1,026 8.08%
2000 9,599 66.03% 4,755 32.71% 183 1.26%
2004 11,329 71.53% 4,439 28.03% 71 0.45%
2008 11,695 71.24% 4,610 28.08% 112 0.68%
2012 12,094 75.00% 3,875 24.03% 157 0.97%
2016 12,919 76.94% 3,469 20.66% 402 2.39%
2020 15,101 77.41% 4,210 21.58% 197 1.01%
2024 16,593 80.91% 3,744 18.26% 170 0.83%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:T.X. GovHead Template:T.X. GovRow Template:T.X. GovFoot

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cherokee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Cherokee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  5. ↑ "Caddo Mounds". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 4, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  6. ↑ "Houston, Sam". The Sam Houston Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010. The Sam Houston Memorial Museum
  7. ↑ "The Texas Cherokee". R. Edward Moore and Texarch Associates. Retrieved May 4, 2010. R. Edward Moore and Texarch Associates
  8. ↑ "Houston, Sam". PBS. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  9. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  10. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  11. ↑ Whitington, Mitchell. "A Monument to the Killough Massacre". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved May 4, 2010. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  12. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  13. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  14. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  15. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  16. ↑ "Empresario Contracts in the Colonization of Texas 1825-1834". Texas A & M University. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010. Wallace L. McKeehan,
  17. ↑ Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce (November 8, 2011). Texas Almanac 2012–2013. Texas A&M University Press. pp. Contents. ISBN 9780876112571. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  18. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  19. ↑ "Jacksonville, Texas". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved May 4, 2010. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  20. ↑ "Kansas and Gulf Short Railway". History Map.com. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  21. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  22. ↑ Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association
  23. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  24. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 15. Persons by Race and Table 16. Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 21-46. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- Texas - Table 3. Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 29-138. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2026.
  26. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Cherokee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  27. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cherokee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  28. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Cherokee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  29. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  30. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  31. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  32. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  34. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  35. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  36. ↑ "US census: Hispanic and Asian-American driving US population growth". BBC News. August 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  37. ↑ "2020 ACS Selected Social Characteristics". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  38. ↑ "2020 ACS Annual Income Estimates". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  39. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  40. ↑ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.165. ANGELINA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.184. KILGORE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.206. TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..
  41. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
[edit | edit source]

Template:Geographic Location

Coordinates: 31°50′N 95°10′W / 31.84°N 95.17°W / 31.84; -95.17

Template:Cherokee County, Texas Template:Texas counties Template:Texas

Retrieved from "https://wiki.tachyony.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Cherokee_County,_Texas&oldid=79911"